City Provides ‘Art of Recycling’ Bins to Long Beach Unified Schools in Honor of Earth Day

From left: Tiffany Chen, City of Long Beach Sustainability Analyst; Diana Craighead, President, Long Beach Unified School District Board of Education; Daniel Brezenoff, Deputy Chief of Staff to Mayor Robert Garcia; Councilwoman Lena Gonzalez; Renaissance High School Principal Quentin Brown; and Renaissance High School students.

In support of the 45th annual Earth Day, the City of Long Beach is demonstrating its commitment to environmental sustainability and awareness by partnering with Global Inheritance and the Long Beach Unified School District to provide approximately 50 “TRASHED (Trash Education): Art of Recycling” bins to middle schools, high schools, and Green Ribbon Elementary Schools throughout the city.

“Earth Week is an opportunity for everyone in the City of Long Beach to devote time and attention to issues of sustainability and the environment,” said Mayor Robert Garcia. “By highlighting the importance of recycling in our Long Beach Schools, we can work together to save our natural resources, and encourage students and the community to make every day Earth Day.”

The Art of Recycling campaign is an ongoing recycling education program by Global Inheritance, a Southern California-based 501c3 non-profit that redefines the way people view recycling and trash collection. By commissioning various artists to redesign recycling bins, the campaign draws positive attention to the issue of waste reduction, while bridging gaps between art, education, and sustainability.

“These vibrant recycling bins will be a fantastic new addition to our schools here in Long Beach,” said Councilwoman Lena Gonzales. “The future of our environment starts with students, parents, teachers and each of us making better choices for a better future.”

The City of Long Beach provides recycling services to 81 public, private and charter schools throughout the city. More than 935 recycling carts are currently deployed at these schools, contributing to more than 26,000 tons of materials collected from homes, businesses and schools each year. Students can help keep long beach litter-free by placing trash and recyclables in the right bins.

“These wonderfully decorated recycling bins will not only inspire our students to be better stewards of the environment, but may even inspire them to create art of their own,” said Diana Craighead, President, Long Beach Unified School District Board of Education.

“Global Inheritance is excited to partner with the City of Long Beach to inspire schools, teachers and students to recycle,” said Eric Ritz, Executive Director of Global Inheritance. “The art of recycling is an activity that everyone can get involved with and provides an incredible medium to get everyone focused on doing more for the planet. We are very happy these redesigned recycling bins are going to great homes within the Long Beach Unified School District.”

Recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to run a television for three hours.

Earth Day was established on April 22, 1970 in order to raise awareness of the environment and to instill a sense of responsibility for its state. The City of Long Beach has made Earth Day a weeklong experience, emphasizing what the local community has to offer in working toward becoming a more sustainable city.